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The One Dollar Counterfeiter

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Re: The One Dollar Counterfeiter

#41

Post by cenamus »

tux3 wrote: post #27
seabass-labrax wrote: post #13

> 10 years went by and the search for Mister 880 turned into the largest and most expensive counterfeit investigation in Secret Service history. The article doesn't explain why the Secret Service made this their biggest case, and it doesn't make much sense to me. If the dollars were accepted by the general population, it would cause an infinitesimal increase in inflation of no consequence to others. And if shopkeeper…

The state reserves some of the harshest punishments for counterfeiters, since large scale counterfeit operations is one of the few crimes that is an attack on the state itself. The US secret service was originally created specifically to combat counterfeit money, it's no surprise that they would keep tracking this man for a decade. This man is unusual because he did the tiniest amount of one the most severely punishe…

Also a fascinating read: The Nazi counterfeiting operation, intended to devalue the Pound and crash the British economy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bernhard

Re: The One Dollar Counterfeiter

#42

Post by slazaro »

noduerme wrote: post #32
miksuko wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The hell are you talking about?

I'm talking about the vague implications the parent poster was making - the purposes of which weren't very clear, but which I interpreted as: "A) Money is worth less than it was, (so printing fake money is justified) B) But on the other hand maybe he was part of the propertied class (in which case it wouldn't be)". I was asking whether they had a moral compass.

I think you're reading way too much into that comment. Sometimes questions are just questions out of curiosity, not accusations of the opposite.

Re: The One Dollar Counterfeiter

#43

Post by calrain »

The lack of greed is wonderful. It makes me think of how many endeavours would have succeeded if the founders and advisors weren't greedy.

At least this story shows that the lack of greed didn't improve quality.

Re: The One Dollar Counterfeiter

#46

Post by bell-cot »

Old family story: Back in the 1920's and 1930's, one of my cousins (a bit removed) was a poacher in rural northern Michigan. Everyone from the County Sheriff on down knew that she was a poacher. Everyone also knew that she was a widow with several children, living in (even for the place and time) grim poverty, and the she was poaching to feed her children.

As kids, we were told more details - both to know about our extended family, and to support various lessons about poverty and charity and pre-WWII rural communities.

But one of the more subtle lessons was that "the law" and society's actual rules are, at best, overlapping circles on a Venn diagram. No matter what lawmakers, those invested in the legal system, and those telling simplistic stories to children might say.

Re: The One Dollar Counterfeiter

#47

Post by intrasight »

tux3 wrote: post #27
seabass-labrax wrote: post #13

> 10 years went by and the search for Mister 880 turned into the largest and most expensive counterfeit investigation in Secret Service history. The article doesn't explain why the Secret Service made this their biggest case, and it doesn't make much sense to me. If the dollars were accepted by the general population, it would cause an infinitesimal increase in inflation of no consequence to others. And if shopkeeper…

The state reserves some of the harshest punishments for counterfeiters, since large scale counterfeit operations is one of the few crimes that is an attack on the state itself. The US secret service was originally created specifically to combat counterfeit money, it's no surprise that they would keep tracking this man for a decade. This man is unusual because he did the tiniest amount of one the most severely punishe…

I have two "counterfeiting" stories - both of which are humorous even though one involve the Secret Service.

The first was in college. A buddy of mine scribbled a facsimile of a $20 onto a piece of paper with a green marker. He then handed it to the checkout clerk at the cafeteria who took it and started to hand them back change. He stopped her and said "no, no it's a joke - look at what I just handed you". She was embarrassed but they both laughed together.

The second story which does involve the Secret Service is when my friend had a bunch of presents that he had wrapped and put in his front porch until was going to depart for a party. One of the presents was wrapped in a sheet of uncut dollar bills - which you could buy for that purpose.

A neppy neighbor saw it through the window and called the police who called the FBI who called the Secret Service who came knocking on his door to investigate. They were also embarrassed but I don't think they laughed. My friend told him he understands that they're just doing their job and that it's an important one.

Re: The One Dollar Counterfeiter

#49

Post by probably_wrong »

kristianp wrote: post #38
kennywinker wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Juettner began working as a maintenance man and building superintendent in New York's Upper East Side. His job allowed him and his family to live rent free in the basement of the building where he worked.

Yes, but he was forced to counterfeit when that job ended.

I think it's a fairly reasonable assumption that he retired (he was 60 in the 1930s) but the article could have made that part explicit.

On my first read I thought he had become a junk collector out of depression for the death of his wife.

Re: The One Dollar Counterfeiter

#50

Post by forinti »

About 20 years ago there was a gang that made fake Brazilian R$1 coins (they must have been worth 50 US cents then, I don't recall precisely). And I have collected a couple of very shady R$0,50 coins that I'm pretty sure are fake. I collect commemorative coins so I always check my change carefully.

I don't think the materials are expensive, but the electricity required might be. So my guess is that this might make sense if someone steals the power. One guy was busted stealing electricity to mine bitcoin a few years ago.

OTOH, maybe they just do it for fun.

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